Reducing the weight of a vehicle is important to meet fuel economy standards and to offset the weight of additional vehicle content required for electric vehicles and autonomous vehicles. One area where weight may be reduced is in the body structure of a vehicle.
A B-pillar is one part of the body structure that must withstand roof strength and side impact collision requirements. A B-pillar generally includes an outer panel that is a class-A painted outer vehicle surface and an inner panel attached to the outer panel. A doubler may be provided in the upper portion of the B-pillar that is a single thickness, formed sheet metal part attached to the inner panel between the inner and outer panels. The material, size, and thickness of the doubler is tuned to meet vehicle weight and load bearing requirements. The single thickness doubler adds weight and limits the weight reduction that may be achieved for a B-pillar.
This disclosure is directed to solving the above problems and other problems as summarized below.